Belt having a retracting lanyard and a hidden pocket

ABSTRACT

A belt has a retracting lanyard built into it for convenient deployment of an attachment device attached to the lanyard. The lanyard can be contained within the belt when not in use and can be extended therefrom for use. A stop prevents the lanyard from being removed from the belt and, therefore, the lanyard never needs to come off the belt. Because the lanyard retracts into a channel or slot in the belt, it does not get tangled and hung up. The belt can also include a hidden pocket to store money, notes, maps and the like. The attachment device can be stored in an attachment pouch when not in use, keeping the attachment device ready for use and preventing it from getting caught when not in use.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/593,205, filed Jan. 31, 2012, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to belts and, more particularly, to a belt that has a retracting lanyard built into it and a hidden pocket.

For linemen, climbers, firemen, handymen, military personnel and the like, a strong belt and a lanyard are combined to create a system to hold the wearer to an object in case of a fall. These conventional items, however, are bulky and inefficient and can get caught up easily.

Many times, these conventional lanyards are taken off the belt to keep from getting tangled when it's not in use. Then, when it is needed, the lanyard needs to be retrieved and reattached to the belt.

As can be seen, there is a need for a belt having a retractable lanyard and can be removed for use and stored within the belt when not in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a belt comprises a belt body having a first end and a second end; a lanyard buckle attached to the first end of the belt body; the second end of the belt body passing through the lanyard buckle and secured to form a loop of a desired size with a belt buckle; a lanyard passing through the lanyard buckle and extendable from a lanyard channel; and an attachment device disposed on an end of the lanyard.

In another aspect of the present invention, a belt comprises a belt body having a first end and a second end; a lanyard buckle attached to the first end of the belt body; the second end of the belt body passing through the lanyard buckle and secured to form a loop of a desired size with a belt buckle; a lanyard passing through the lanyard buckle and extendable from a lanyard channel; a stop disposed on the lanyard to prevent the lanyard from being removed from the belt; an attachment device disposed on an end of the lanyard; and an attachment pouch for storing the attachment device when not in use.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a belt showing an attachment device, such as a carabineer, in a stowed configuration and a lanyard in a retracted configuration;

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the belt of FIG. 1 showing the attachment device in a removed configuration and the lanyard in a retracted configuration;

FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the belt of FIG. 1 showing the attachment device in a removed configuration and the lanyard in an extended configuration, engaging a stop to prevent removal thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the belt of FIG. 1, illustrating engagement of the stop and an exemplary configuration of attachment device and lanyard pockets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a belt having a retracting lanyard built into it for convenient deployment of an attachment device attached to the lanyard. The lanyard can be contained within the belt when not in use and can be extended therefrom for use. A stop prevents the lanyard from being removed from the belt and, therefore, the lanyard never needs to come off the belt. Because the lanyard retracts into a channel or slot in the belt, it does not get tangled and hung up. The belt can also include a hidden pocket to store money, notes, maps and the like. The attachment device can be stored in an attachment pouch when not in use, keeping the attachment device ready for use and preventing it from getting caught when not in use.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4, a belt body 10 operable to wrap around a user, such as around a user's waist. The belt body 10 can be looped through a lanyard buckle 26 disposed on a first end of the belt body 10. A second, opposite end of the belt body 10 can be passed through a belt buckle 12 to form the belt body 10 in a loop of a desired size.

The belt body 10 can be formed with a hidden pocket 14 formed therein. The hidden pocket 14 can be, for example, formed on an inside surface of the belt body, as shown in FIG. 1. The hidden pocket 14 can be used to store various items, such as money, notes, maps, and the like.

The belt body 10 can include a lanyard channel 18 formed therein. The lanyard channel 18 can be operable to store at least a portion of a lanyard 24 therein. The lanyard 24 can extend out of the lanyard channel 18 and pass through the lanyard buckle 26. The lanyard 24 can extend from about 6 inches to about 36 inches from the lanyard buckle 26 when in use. A stop 22 can prevent the lanyard 24 from being pulled out of and removed from the belt.

An attachment device 20, such as a carabineer, can be disposed on an end of the lanyard 24. The attachment device 20 can be stored in an attachment pouch 16 formed in the belt body 10 when not in use, as shown in FIG. 1.

When a user needs to secure themselves, such as when using a ladder, working in a bucket, or the like, the user, wearing the belt, can simply remove the attachment device 20 from the attachment pouch 16, as shown in

FIG. 2, and extend the lanyard 24 from the lanyard channel 18, as shown in FIG. 3. The user can then connect the attachment device 20 to an appropriate anchor (not shown), thereby securing the user. The stop 22 prevents the lanyard 24 from being removed completely from the belt. When the user no longer needs to be secured, they can simply remove the attachment device 20, stow the lanyard 24 back into the lanyard channel 18 and store the attachment device 20 into the attachment pouch 16.

The belt body 10 can be made from various flexible materials, such as leather. The lanyard 24 can be made from a strong flexible material, such as those made from an aramid fiber, such as Kevlar® fabric, for example. The buckles 12, 26 can be made from a strong, rigid material, such as steel, for example. Of course, other materials are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A belt comprising: a belt body having a first end and a second end; a lanyard buckle attached to the first end of the belt body; the second end of the belt body passing through the lanyard buckle and secured to form a loop of a desired size with a belt buckle; a lanyard passing through the lanyard buckle and extendable from a lanyard channel; and an attachment device disposed on an end of the lanyard.
 2. The belt of claim 1, further comprising an attachment pouch for storing the attachment device when not in use.
 3. The belt of claim 1, wherein the attachment device is a carabineer.
 4. The belt of claim 1, further comprising a hidden pocket formed in the belt body.
 5. The belt of claim 1, wherein the hidden pocket is disposed on an inside surface of the belt body.
 6. The belt of claim 1, further comprising a stop disposed on the lanyard to prevent the lanyard from being removed from the belt.
 7. A belt comprising: a belt body having a first end and a second end; a lanyard buckle attached to the first end of the belt body; the second end of the belt body passing through the lanyard buckle and secured to form a loop of a desired size with a belt buckle; a lanyard passing through the lanyard buckle and extendable from a lanyard channel; a stop disposed on the lanyard to prevent the lanyard from being removed from the belt; an attachment device disposed on an end of the lanyard; and an attachment pouch for storing the attachment device when not in use.
 8. The belt of claim 7, wherein the attachment device is a carabineer.
 9. The belt of claim 7, further comprising a hidden pocket formed in the belt body.
 10. The belt of claim 7, wherein the hidden pocket is disposed on an inside surface of the belt body. 